Spike puller



SPIKE FULLER Filed YJian@ 4, i924 ramas am. ai, 1era UNITED STATES tintvttttl htte@ e JOHN S. WTINCRANTZ, OF WILKNSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSlG-NOR TO VERONA TOOL WORKS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COBIORATN OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIKE FULLER.

Application filed June 4, 1924.

To all 'whom it 11mg/ concer-1t.'

Be it known that I, JOHN S. VINCRANTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Villrinsburg, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Spike Fullers, of which the following is a full, clear7 and exact description.

My invention relates to spike pullers, and has for an object to provide an improved form of fulcrum member for the draw bar, whereby to obtain an increased leverage when starting a spike out of a tie.

Another object of the invention to proi .vide a fulcrum member having means on its under side adapted to be embedded in a tie, which means is not liable to become clogged up with ice, dirt or the like ou the upper surface of the tie.

rThe vinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe lower end of a draw bar having one .form of ful- Crum member embodying my invention associ ated therewith, the draw bar being` shown in its initial position upon being applied to a railway spike;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing in full lines the position of the parts when the draw bar is in position to begin raising the spike, and showingI iu dotted lines the position of the parts after the spike hasbeen started out of the tie;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Figure 2, and i Figure 4t is a detail viewl of a slightly modified form of fulcrum member.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 2 designates the shank of a draw bar having a bifurcated clawk 3 formed at its lower end, and also having a circularly curved enlargement et back of the claw, the curved surface 5 of this enlargement being circular around a central point 6.

lhe circularly curved surface 5 merges into a flat under surface 7 which connects the curved surface 5 with the pointed end of the claw and at the point G an opening is formed transversely through the bar to receive a bolt 8. This bolt supports two links 9 which are provided with slots 10 through which the bolt 8 passes, as shown in Figure 1. The links are pivotally connected at their lower ends to a wedge-shaped fulcruin Serial No. 717,723.

member 11. The connection 'between the links and the fulcruni member is made by means of screw bolts 1Q which extend into tapped openings in the sides of the fulcrum member. In the form of the invention shown `in these figures7 the fulcriun member is provided at its rear end with a single relatively large tooth 13 projecting from the lower side of the fulerum member and adapted to be embedded in tie for holding the fulcrum member in position during the pulling of a spike. Y

The spike puller may be provided with a grab hook7 which7 as shown7 comprises a bar .lit having its rear end forked to provide 'two arms 15 to stra/.ldlc the draw bar. '."hese arms are provided at their ends with openings to receive the boltfS, whereby the gral.) hook is pivotally connected to the drawbar. The bar lt has a member 1G slidably mounted on the forward end portion thereof. This member is secured in position on the bar 174i by means of a wedge member 1T which extends through the same opening in the member 1G which receives the bar 14e.

Figure 1 shows the manner in which the spike puller is first brought .into engagement with a spike' S which is shown enibedded in a tie T adjacent to a rail lhe claw 3 is lirst placed astr'ide of the spike? the grab hook, :if used, being raised so as to pass over the top of the rail.` The handley of the draw bar is then rocked forward into the position shown in full lines in Figure 2. The bar rocks on the point of its claw :i and the fulcruin member 11 falls by its own weight into the position shown in Figure ln pulling a spike, the greatest effort is required in starting the spike out of the tie. lith this in view, the fulcrum member is formed with a flat upper surface 18, exceptat its forward end. The forward end portion of the fulcrum member is rounded and presents a curved surface 19 projecting slightly above the adjacent flat upper surface 18. ln the full line position of the draw bar shown in Figure 2. this curved end surface 19 of the fulcrum member engages the flat under surface 7 of the draw bar. liVhen the draw bar is rocked away from the nil. it initially fulcrums on the curved end surface 19 of the fulcruui member until the draw bar reaches the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. Thereafter. the circu larly curved surface 5 of the draw bar roll` i GO lil'

upon the flatupper surface i8 of the fulcrum member. l't will be apparent at once that during the initial rocking movement of the draw bar, it is enabled to exert Aa much greater `leverage upon thespike to start it out of the tie than during the subsequent rocking movement of the bar, during which subsequent movement the curved surface 5 of the bar engages the flat surface 7 of the fulcrum member. vThis is of decided advantage because `of the fact that7 as already stated,.ithe greatest effort is required in starting the spike out of the tie. j

It has heretofore been proposed to serrato the lower surface of the fulcrum member to enable the latter to grip the tie, the serrations resulting in a, series of small closely arranged teeth. Vith this construction, the teeth are liable to `become clogged with ice, dirt or the like on the upper surface of a tie, thereby preventing the fulcrum member from grippingthe tie, so that, in pulling i spike, the fulcrum` member is liable to slip. l propose to overcome `this ditliculty by providing the fulcrum member either with a single relatively large tooth at its rear end, as shoivn in Figure l, or with aseries of relatively large teeth 20, as shown in Figure 4. YVith either form of construction7 the single tooth or the series of relatively large teeth will 4dig into the tie, irrespective of Whether the same is covered with ice, dirt or the like, thus insuring the fulcrum member being held in place kduring the pulling of a spike. v

rThe slotted `connection between the links 9 and the pivot ibolt S .causes the fulcrum member Ato act independently of the pivot bolt while a spike is beingpulled. Therefore, the load is supported Wholly by the fuleru'm member and` not by the pivot bolt.

While I have shown and described tivo preferred embodiments of my invention, it Will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact form of fiile-rum member shown in these embodiments thereof, as changes may be made in the constructions shown Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A spike puller, comprising a draw bar having an end portion adapted to engage i'lnder the head of a spike and having a l'iearing surface adjacent said end portion, and a fulcrum member adapted to be positioned beneath said bearing surface and n having a raised bearing surface adjacent its forward end to provide a fulcrum for the bar in starting the spike, said bar being adapted to thereafter fulcrum on a portion of ythe upper surface of said fulcrum member back of said raised surface, substantially as described.

9.. A spike puller, comprising a draiv bar having an end portion adapted to engage under the head of a spike and having a bearing surface adjacent said end portion, Iand a forwardly tapered fulcrum member adapted to be positioned beneath said bearing surface and having a raised bearing surface adjacent its forward end to provide a fulcrum for the bar in starting the spike, said bar being adapted to thereafter fulcrum on a portion of the upper surface of said fulcrum member back of said raised surface, substantially as described.

3. A. spike puller, comprising a dravv bar having an end portion adapted to engage under the head of a spike and havinga curved bearing surface behind said end portion, and` a fulcrum member having a flat upperfsurfacc terminating adjacent the forward end of the member in a raised bearing surface, said raisedbearing surface heilig adapted toV provide a fulcrum kfor the bar in starting `the spike, the curved surface of the bar being adapted to thereafter cooperate ivith the flat upper surface of the fulcrum member in drawing the spike, substantially as described.

1l. A spike puller, comprising a draw "bar havingan end portion adapted to engage under the head of a spike and having a curved liearing surface behind said end por-` tion connected thereto by a straight under surface, and a fulcrum member having' a flat upper surface adapted to cooperate with said curved bearing surface and having a raised surface at the forward end of said flat surface adapted to provide a fulcrum for the ,bar in `starting the spike,substan tially as described.

5. A spike puller, comprising a draw bar having an end portion adapted to engage under thehead of a spike and having a curved bearing surface behind said end porl tion connected therewith by a straight under surface, and a wedgeshaped fulcrum member pivotally connected to said bar and having` a flat upper surface adapted to cooper ate with said curved bearing surface, said flat surface terminating `at the forward end lbf) of said member ina raised bearing surface i adapted to provide a fulcrum for the bar in starting the spike, substantially as tescribed. j

G. A fulcrum member for spike pullers` said fulcriun member having a flat upper surface terminating at the forward end-of said member in a raised bearing surface, substantially as described.

7. fr fulcrum member for spike pullel's, said member being` wedge-shaped and l1av ing a raised bearing surface adjacent its forward end, substantially described.

S. A, fulcrmn member for spike pullers, said fulcruni member being of Wedge shape and having a raised bearing surface adjacent its forward end, said ineml'ier having a relatively large tooth projecting from its lower surface and adapted to be embedded in a, tie, substantially as described.

9. A ulerum member for spike pullers, said 'ulerum member being of Wedge shape and having a raised bearing surface adjacent its smaller end, said member having a plurality of widely separated relatively large teeth projecting `from its lower side, substantially as described. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOI-IN S. l/VINCRANTZ. 

